Railway tie plate



Pat ated Sept. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES RAILWAY TIE PLATE George T.Willard; st. Louis', Mo.

Application August -Z7 9 Claims.

This invention relates to railway tie plates; An object of the inventionis to provide an improved railway tie plate equipped with means forresiliently holding the rail on the plate by the application of yieldingpressure against the outer vertical face of the rail base ange toeliminate or retard creeping of the rail without rigidly attaching therail and the plate together. It is desirable to avoid rigid connectionof the rail with the plate because where such rigid connection isprovided, there is a tendency to lift the tie from its bed by the wavemotion of the rail under rolling load.

Iie plates embodying this invention may be rigidly attached to the tiesby any appropriate fastening means, such as screw spikes or bolts, whichreduce mechanical wear on the ties.

My novel and improved connecting means for resiliently connecting therail and the tie plate exerts pressure in a horizontal direction againstthe rail base flange and may also embody means for yieldingly bearing onthe upper surfare of the rail base ange to retard or limit the upwardvertical movement of the rail relatively to the tie plate during wavemotion of the rail under rolling load. This connecting means forresiliently holding'the rail on the plate is preferablyl held undertension by an adjustable holding device provided for that purpose. f

The resilient connecting means for holding the rail on the tie plate ismovable vertically with the rail but is substantially held againsthorizontal movement With-the creeping of the rail by lugs or shouldersformed on the upper surface of the tie plate adjacent to the edge of therail base and these lugs or shoulders may be formed integrally with thetie plate in the rolling of the.

tie plate or during the finishing process.

While the resilient connecting means between' the tie plate and the railis movable vertically with the rail, nevertheless said connecting meansholds the rail under downward pressure asl well as horizontal pressure.When the connecting means is used on only one side of the rail baseflange, the opposite edge of the rail base flange will be in cooperativerelation to a shoulder rising above and extending over to overhang therail base flange but spaced therefrom to allow the free verticalmovement of the rail wave motion under rolling loads. l

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description, reference being made to the annexed drawing; inwhich- 1934,(seria1No. '141,559

(Cl. 23S-283) Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a tie plate. anu railengaging means embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view -of the tie plate and rail engaging means, theweb of the rail being in section.

Fig. 3 is a. vertical cross sectional view on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2 ofthe tie plate showing the resilient connecting means in one usefulrelationship to the tie plate and the rail base flange.

Fig. 4 is a similar vertical cross sectional view of the tie plateshowing the resilient connecting means in another useful relationshiprelatively to the tie plate and the rail base iiange.

In the embodiment of the invention chosen for l illustration, a tieplate I is formed with a seat 2 between transverse shoulders 3 and 4upon which may be placed a cushion 5; or said cushion 5 may be omitted,if desired. The tie plate is formed with holes 6 for the reception ofscrew spikes or bolts l for fastening the tie plate on the tie 8.

The rail base 9 may be seated on the cushion 5, when said cushion isused; or'may be seated directly on the seat 2 when the cushion isomitted. In the illustrated form of the invention, the shoulder 3 isformed with a laterally extended marginal portion l!) which projectsabove theadjacent marginal portion of the base 9 and functions toprevent the rail from overturning.

My improved resilient connecting means in the form of a spring clip isdesigned to exert va lateral tension against the vertical face of therail base flange 9, which will prevent the rail from creeping; and isalso designedto exert a lesser downward pressure or tension on the topof the rail base to retard the wave motion and stiien the trackstructure. The lateral and downward pressures may be varied in tensionby an adjustable nut or by varying the thickness of the spring clip toobtain a semi-rigid construction as required by the conditions of use.This improved connection between the tie plate and the raileliminates orminimizes the churning of the ballast and the consequent shattering ofthe ties, which destructive effects are incident to the use of tracks inwhich the rails are rigidly attached to the tie plates and to the ties.l

As shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, the 'spring clip has one end I Iseated upon the marginal portion of the rail base 9 and a portion I2exerting a lateral pressure or tension against the adjacent verticalface I3 of said rail base, theopposite end portion I4 of the clip beingengaged in a hol I5 in the tie plate I and supported by a shoulder I6 onthe clip seating von the upper surface of the tie plate. A bolt I'Iextends through a hole I8 in the tie plate I and through an elongatedhole I9 in the spring clip and securely holds the spring clip in therelation shown and described. The tension of the spring clip may bevaried by varying the position of the nut 20 on the bolt, as should beapparent by reference to the drawing.

The cushion 5, shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, absorbs whe'el shocks,reduces maintenance costs and prolongs the life of the ties and themetal parts While deadening or minimizing noise and obtaining smootherriding track. In this arrangement, the end of the spring clip II engagesthe rail base but does not seat upon the upper surface of the tie plate.The spring clip extends through a notch 22 in the shoulder 4 and isthereby held from displacement. Obviously the spring clip ends I4 and I6may be held in place otherwise than A as shown, as by abutments on thetop of the tie plate, or by an auxiliary shouldered rigid clip ttingover the bolts I`I and 29, or otherwise as desired.

In the relationship of the parts shown in Fig. 4, the cushion isomitted, the end portion 23 of the spring clip extends over but does notseat against the upper surface of the marginal portion of the rail base9, being separated therefrom by a slight space 24. The portion 25 of thespring clip exerts a lateral tension against the vertical face I3 of therail base and seats upon the upper surface of the tie plate I in thenotch 22. The opposite end portion 26 of the spring clip extends into ahole 2'I in the tie plate and is supported by a shoulder 28 seating onthe tie plate. The bolt 29 extends through the hole I8 in the tie plateand through a hole 30 in the clip, corresponding to the hole I9, and isequipped with a nut 3l, whereby the tension and pressure of the springclip may be varied, as desired.

It should now be apparent that this invention attains all of itsintended objects and purposes efficiently and satisfactorily and thatthe invention may be varied within the scope of equivalent limitswithout departure from the nature and principle thereof.

I claim:

l. 'Ihe combination of a tie plate having a rail seat and having a holespaced laterally from the rail seat, a railway rail having a base flangeextending across said seat, a spring clip having one end portionengaging the outer vertical face of said rail base flange and having aremaining extended end portion engaging the upper surface of said flangeand having the other end portion engaging the wall of said hole that isfarthest from said base flange, a bolt device having its lower enddetachably interlocked with said tie plate between said end portions ofsaid clip and having its upper end extending through said clip andholding said clip under tension to exert pressure laterally against saidvertical face of said rail base flange, and parts integral lwith saidplate between said bolt device and said base flange holding said clipfrom lateral displacement.

2. The combination of a tie plate having a rail seat and having a holeprovided with a wall spaced laterally from the rail seat, a railway railhaving a base flange extending across said seat, a resilient memberhaving near one end a portion engaging against the outer vertical faceof said rail base flange and another portion extending over the marginof said flange and having its opposite end portion engaging against saidwall of said hole, and said member having a hole between said endportions thereof, a fastening' device having its lower end interlockedwith said tie plate between said end portions of said resilient memberand having its upper end extending through said hole in said resilientmember and holding said member under tension to exert pressure laterallyagainst said vertical face of said rail base flange, and a shoulder onthe resilient member seating on said tie plate beyond said hole forsupporting said second end portion of said resilient member upon saidtie plate.

3A The combination of a tie plate having a rail seat and having a holeprovided with a wall spaced laterally from the rail seat, a railway railhaving a base flange extending across said seat, a resilient memberhaving near one end a portion engaging against the outer vertical faceof said rail base flange and another portion extending over the marginof said flange and having its opposite end portion engaging against saidwall of said hole, and said member having a hole between said endportions thereof, a fastening device having its lower end interlockedwith said tie plate between said end portions of said resilient memberand having its upper end extending through said hole in said resilientmember and holding said member under tension to exert pressure laterallyagainst said vertical face of said rail base flange, and parts integralwith said tie plate between said fastening device and said base flangelimiting lateral movement of said rail and holding said resilient memberfrom lateral displacement.

4. The combination of a tie plate having a rail seat and a hole provideda wall spaced laterally from the rail seat, a railway rail having a baseflange extending across said seat, a spring clip engaging the edge ofthe rail base and having one end extending over the margin of said baseflange and having the other end engaging the wall of said hole that isfarthest from said flange, a shoulder integral with said spring clipseating on said tie plate beyond said hole for supporting said springclip, and a fastening device extending through said spring clip andhaving its lower end interlocked with said plate between the ends ofsaid spring clip and adapted to exert vertical pressure against saidspring clip, the contour of the spring clip translating said pressureinto lateral pressure against the edge of the rail base.

5. The combination of a tie plate having a rail seat and a hole providedwith a wall spaced laterally from the rail seat, a railway rail having abase flange extending across said seat, a spring clip engaging the edgeof the rail base and having one end extending over the margin of saidbase flange and having the other end engaging the wall of said hole thatis farthest from said flange, a shoulder integral with said spring clipseating on said tie plate beyond said hole for supporting said springclip, a fastening device extending through said spring clip and havingits lower end interlocked with said plate between the ends of saidspring clip and adapted to exert vertical pressure against said springclip, the contour of the spring clip translating said pressure intolateral pressure against the edge of the rail base, and a shoulderintegral with said tie plate extending over the opposite margin of saidbase flange.

6. The combination of a tie plate having a rail seat and a hole spacedlaterally therefrom, a railway rail having a base flange extendingacross said seat, a resilient member engaging the edge of the rail baseandl having one end extending over said base flange and having theopposite end engaging the wall of said hole that is farthest from saidbase iiange, means for supporting said last named end of said resilientmember on said tie plate, a clamping device extending through saidresilient member and having one end interlocked with said tie platebetween said base flange and said hole and adapted to `exert verticalpressure against said resilient member, the contour of said membertranslating said pressure into lateral pressure against the edge of therail base, and a shoulder integral with said tie plate engaging theopposite margin of said base ange.

'1. The combination of a tie plate having a rail seat, a railway railhaving a base flange extending across said seat, a. shoulder engagingone Vedge of said flange, a spring clip having one end engaging theopposite edge of said ilange and having its-opposite end engaging saidtie plate, said spring clip having a hole therethrough intermediate ofits ends, parts integral with said tie plate limiting lateral movementof said rail and preventing lateral movement of said spring clip, a boltextending through said hole and having its lower end interlocked withsaid tie plate between the ends of said spring clip, and a nut screwedupon the upper end of said bolt and adapted to exert vertical pressureagainst said spring clip, the contour of said clip translating saidpressure into lateral pressure against the edge of the rail base.

8. The combination of a tie plate having a rail seat, a railway railhaving a base iiange extending across said seat, a shoulder engaging oneedge of said flange, a spring clip having one end engaging the oppositeedge of said iiange and having its opposite end engaging said tie plate,said spring clip having a hole therethrough intermediate of its ends, abolt extending through said hole and having its lower end interlockedwith said tie plate between the ends of said spring clip, a nut screwedupon the upper end of said bolt and adapted to exert vertical pressureagainst said spring clip,- the contour of said clip translating saidpressure into lateral pressure against the edge of the rail base, andparts integral with said plate between said bolt and said base iiangeholding said rail and said spring clip from lateral displacement.

9. The combination of a tie plate having a rail seat, a railway railhaving a base ange extending across said seat, a shoulder integral withsaid tie plate having a portion extending over one margin of said baseange, a spring clip engaging the opposite edge of said base flange andhaving one end extending over the opposite margin of said base ange andhaving its opposite end abutting against and supported by said tieplate, a bolt extending upwardly through said spring clip and having itslower'endinterlocked with said tie plate between the ends of said springclip, a nut screwed upon the upper end of said bolt and adapted to exertvertical pressure against said spring clip, the contour of said cliptranslating said pressure into lateral pressure against the edge of therail base, and means holding said rail and said spring cllp from lateraldisplacement.

GEORGE T. WIILARD.

